South Asia Regional Resilience Dialogue

Fostering adaptation and resilience for a post Covid-19, 1.5 degree future

Programme

South Asia Regional Resilience Dialogue Programme
Event Snapshot

Recording

Outcome Document

South Asia Regional Resilience Dialogue Outcome Document

Context

South Asia is widely recognized as one of the major hotspots for climatic disasters. While the region has seen remarkable socioeconomic development over the past decade or so, many of these gains are at risk of being undermined as the impacts of climate change become increasingly prominent. Between the years 1990 and 2019, climate-induced disasters in the South Asia region have affected more than 1.68 billion people and caused over US$127 billion in damages.

The emergence of the global COVID-19 pandemic this year also caused unprecedented challenges for South Asia and exposed the fragility and complexity of economic and health systems in the region. A number of countries in South Asia have also faced additional shocks in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak. The incidence of super-cyclone Amphan, heavy monsoon floods and consequent landslides in the past few months have wreaked havoc on this region – particularly in India, Bangladesh and Nepal – affecting more than 9.6 million people. While the impacts of these compounding shocks have uncovered some of the cracks within the system, it has also shed light on the crucial role of locally-led actions in building social resilience in the face of uncertainties. Local actors on the frontline are continuing to play a critical role in responding to the crises. 

The South Asia Regional Dialogue will highlight and discuss the regional needs, priorities and existing solutions, and will focus on ways to address climate change by scaling up local actions to adaptation and resilience supported by appropriate finance, knowledge and capacity. 

Overview of Agenda

Panel 1: How can locally-led adaptation and resilience actions be scaled up to bring transformative change?

  • Prema Gopalan, Founder and Executive Director, Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP)
  • Lajana Manandhar, Executive Director, Lumanti Support Group for Shelter
  • Ziaul Haque, General Secretary, Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL)
  • Sheela Patel, Director, Society for Promotion of Area Resource Centers (SPARC) – Sheela’s intervention available here

Moderated by Dr. Saleemul Huq, Director, ICCCAD

Panel 2: What are the financing needs and approaches necessary for achieving adaptation and resilience goals in the region?

  • Manjeet Dhakal, Head of LDC Support Team, Climate Analytics
  • Golam Rabbani, Head of Climate Bridge Fund Secretariat, BRAC
  • Afsari Begum, Senior Specialist – Disaster Risk Reduction, Practical Action Bangladesh
  • Virinder Sharma, Senior Urban Development Specialist, Asian Development Bank

Moderated by Dr. Saleemul Huq, Director, ICCCAD

Objectives of the Regional Dialogue

The South Asia Regional Dialogue will bring together High Level Champions (HLCs) and non-party stakeholders (primarily civil society organizations, businesses, cities, investors) working on resilience and adaptation in the region, under one platform with the following key objectives:

  • To highlight the role and priorities of grassroots organizations and local communities in building a climate resilient future in the region 
  • To explore various models and approaches for mobilizing finance to effectively support adaptation and resilience actions in the region
  • To illustrate the importance of capacity building and knowledge co-creation for fostering adaptation and building resilience to climate change in the region
  • To recommend the HLCs, Champions Team and the MPGCA on how to advance these ambitious actions in South Asia

Series & Organisers

This dialogue is part of a series of regional dialogues convened with non-party stakeholders, organized by the Global Resilience Partnership together with Climate Resilience Network of the UNFCCC Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action (MPGCA) with the support of the Chile and UK High Level Champions (HLCs), Gonzalo Muñoz and Nigel Topping.

The South Asia Regional Dialogue is being co-organized by the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) and Huairou Commission
Supporting organisations: ADBCANSACGIAR/CCAFSClimate Justice Resilience Fund (CJRF)Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)Mercy CorpsPractical ActionRed Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre